WBOW (1230 AM)

Last updated
WBOW
Frequency 1230 kHz
Ownership
OwnerContemporary Media, Inc.
History
First air date
June 15, 1927;95 years ago (1927-06-15)
Last air date
October 4, 2001;21 years ago (2001-10-04)
Former call signs
WRPI (1927–1928)
WBOW (1928–1993)
WBFX (1993–1995)
WZZQ (1995–2000)
WBUZ (2000–2001)
Technical information
Facility ID 13730
Power 1,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 39°29′24″N87°25′4.8″W / 39.49000°N 87.418000°W / 39.49000; -87.418000 Coordinates: 39°29′24″N87°25′4.8″W / 39.49000°N 87.418000°W / 39.49000; -87.418000

WBOW was a radio station on 1230 AM in Terre Haute, Indiana, which broadcast between 1927 and 2001.

Contents

In the early 1990s, the WBOW intellectual unit moved to a new 640 AM facility. 1230 then became WBFX, WZZQ and WBUZ, closing down when its licensee, Contemporary Media, Inc., had all of its licenses cancelled in response to a Federal Communications Commission investigation.

History

WBOW

WBOW was the first successful radio station in Terre Haute, though it was not the first outright. That distinction belonged to WEAC, a short-lived station owned by Camille C. Baines that broadcast between May 30 and August 1922. [1]

While the station began operations slightly earlier in the year, after a tune-up and frequency change, [2] it formally signed on June 15, 1927 [3] as WRPI, a service of then-Rose Polytechnic Institute, on 1440 kHz. [4] Local listeners and radio manufacturer Carl Stahl contributed the funds to build the station. [5] The next year, after Rose almost shuttered WRPI, [5] the station split from the institute and became commercial WBOW, owned by and named for the Banks of the Wabash Broadcasting Association. Banks of the Wabash also acquired a portable station, KGFO, to join WBOW for the purpose of making remote broadcasts; [6] General Order 40 relocated the station to 1310 kHz later in 1928, and WBOW upgraded from 100 watts to 250 watts in 1936. After two attempts to make frequency changes were denied, WBOW moved to 1200 kHz in 1939 and to 1230 in 1941 with NARBA. [4] In the early days of its existence, entertainer Burl Ives was a staff announcer at WBOW. [7] For years, WBOW was a full-service news and top-40 voice, and often the leading station, in the Terre Haute area. It was long affiliated with NBC radio. The station was sold to Radio WBOW, Inc., in 1957, and the new owners further boosted power to 1,000 watts in 1961. [4] The 1960s also saw WBOW gain an FM counterpart, WBOW-FM 107.5, which would remain co-owned with WBOW for the rest of its history as WBOW-FM, WHOE, WBOQ, and WZZQ. Prior to starting his long tenure as lead play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers Radio Network in 1970, Joe Tait was WBOW's morning host, and later, doubled as station manager. [8]

In its waning years, WBOW flipped to adult standards, and the station became affiliated with the ABC Information network, as well as NBC Talknet. [9]

WBFX, WZZQ and WBUZ

In 1992, WBOW moved to 640 AM, giving it a better signal and wider coverage. The 1230 frequency became WBFX with an album-oriented rock format, [3] and in 1995, it became WZZQ, simulcasting 107.5 FM. WZZQ became WBUZ in 2000, maintaining the FM simulcast. [10]

License cancellation

In 1982, then-WBOW and WBOQ were sold to Contemporary Media, Inc. The president of Contemporary Media was Michael S. Rice. In 1994, Rice was convicted of sexually abusing five teenagers in Missouri. [11] The next year, in light of the felony conviction, the Federal Communications Commission opened a hearing to revoke the licenses of all five stations owned by Contemporary Media and its sister companies, Contemporary Broadcasting and Lake Broadcasting, which also owned FM stations in Columbia, Missouri (KFMZ) and Eldon, Missouri (KBMX), as well as two additional unbuilt stations in the same state. [12]

In 1997, an FCC administrative law judge ruled that the licenses should be revoked. [13] The FCC affirmed the decision in March 1998. [11] Rice appealed, losing in federal appeals court. In March 2001, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. [14] All Contemporary stations ceased operations by FCC order on October 4, 2001. [15] Incidentally, WBUZ was the second station by that call sign to have had its license revoked; another WBUZ in Fredonia, New York had lost its license in 1991. [16]

Reuse of the 1230 frequency

On June 14, 2011, the Bott Broadcasting Company obtained the construction permit for 1230 AM in Terre Haute as WYGJ. With three months before the permit was to expire, in March 2014, Bott sold the permit to Midwest to relocate WIBQ from 1300 to 1230. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNDE</span> Radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana

WNDE is a commercial radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is owned by iHeartMedia with the broadcast license held by iHM Licenses, LLC. WNDE broadcasts a sports radio format, with some afternoon talk programs, including The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midwest Communications</span> American radio broadcasting company

Midwest Communications is a Wausau, Wisconsin-based radio broadcasting company. It owns 82 radio stations located primarily within the Midwest United States, in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Illinois and Wisconsin. The company is a family-owned business and is headed by Duke Wright.

KZQZ was a commercial radio station that was licensed to serve St. Louis, Missouri at 1430 AM, and broadcast from 1922 to 2020. As WEB it was one of the first radio stations to have been established and licensed in the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area, and was known for most of its life as WIL. The Federal Communications Commission revoked the license for the station and its three co-owned stations in March 2020 after discovering that a convicted felon had effective control of the stations in their last years; despite the revocation, KZQZ and KQQZ continued to broadcast without a valid license into April 2020.

WBOW is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, it serves the Terre Haute metropolitan area. It first began broadcasting in 1961 under the call sign WPFR. The station is currently owned by Duey E. Wright through licensee Midwest Communications, Inc.

WBUZ is a commercial FM radio station licensed to La Vergne, Tennessee, and serving the Nashville metropolitan area. WBUZ airs an active rock music format, with elements of alternative rock, calling itself "Nashville's Rock Station." Weekday mornings, it carries the syndicated comedy and hot talk program "The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show." WBUZ is owned by The Cromwell Group, along with sports radio-formatted WPRT-FM and oldies-formatted WQZQ. The radio studios and offices are on Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNML</span> Sports radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico

KNML is a sports talk formatted radio station owned by Cumulus Media and licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its studios are located in Downtown Albuquerque and it utilizes daytime and nighttime transmitters that are located within yards of each other in the southwest quadrant of the city, between the Rio Grande and the Albuquerque International Sunport.

WBUZ is a now-defunct radio station that was based in Fredonia, New York. The station was privately owned by Henry Serafin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIBQ</span> Radio station in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States

WIBQ is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Terre Haute, Indiana, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1958 under the call sign WMFT. The station is currently owned by Duey E. Wright, through licensee Midwest Communications, Inc.

WZSK was a News/Talk formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Everett, Pennsylvania, serving Bedford, Somerset, and Altoona in Pennsylvania and Cumberland in Maryland. WZSK was last owned and operated by New Millennium Communications Group, Inc.

WFAS is a commercial digital-only radio station licensed to serve White Plains, New York. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts at 1,000 watts from a transmitter site on Secor Road, in Hartsdale, New York. WFAS airs a conservative talk radio format with programming from Westwood One, which is itself owned by Cumulus Media. News updates are supplied by USA Radio News.

WJUS is a radio station licensed to serve Marion, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by Grace Baptist Temple Church of Selma, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVIG (FM)</span> Radio station in West Terre Haute, Indiana

WVIG is a radio station broadcasting a classic country music format. Licensed to West Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute area. The station is currently owned by David Crooks, through licensee DLC Media, Inc.

WAMB is a radio station broadcasting a mix of adult contemporary and soft adult contemporary formats. Licensed to Brazil, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Terre Haute area. It first began broadcasting in 1982 under the call sign WWCM. The station is currently owned by David Crooks, through licensee DLC Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKK</span> Radio station in Hughesville, Pennsylvania

WRKK – branded as Rock 94.9 – is a commercial active rock radio station licensed to Hughesville, Pennsylvania, serving the Williamsport metro area. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., WRKK is the local affiliate for Rover's Morning Glory and Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx. The WRKK studios are located in Williamsport, while the station transmitter resides in Muncy. Besides a standard analog transmission, WRKK is available online via iHeartRadio. WRKK also simulcasts over Williamsport translator W235BA.

WBOW is a radio station licensed to serve Terre Haute, Indiana, United States, which held the WBOW-FM callsign from 2003 to 2012 and has held the WBOW callsign since 2017.

KZHC is a radio station licensed to serve Burns, Oregon, United States. The station, established in 1957, is owned by Randolph and Debra McKone, through licensee KJDY, LLC. KZHC and sister station KZHC-FM are the two of only four radio stations with Burns as their community of license.

WBOW was a radio station on 640 AM in Terre Haute, Indiana, which broadcast between 1993 and 2001.

WZZQ was a radio station on 107.5 FM in Terre Haute, Indiana, which broadcast between 1967 and 2001.

KFMZ was a radio station on 98.3 FM in Columbia, Missouri, which broadcast between 1971 and 2001.

KBMX was a radio station on 101.9 FM in Eldon, Missouri, which broadcast between 1988 and 2001.

References

  1. ↑ McCormick, Mike (2005). Terre Haute: Queen City of the Wabash. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   9780738524061.
  2. ↑ "WRPI To Close For Repairs". Brazil Daily Times. June 4, 1927. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "1994 Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). 1994. p. B-130. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 FCC History Cards for WBOW (Facility ID 13730)
  5. 1 2 "Station WRPI At Terre Haute May Be Abandoned". Brazil Daily Times. September 24, 1927. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Terre Haute Has New Broadcasting Station". Indianapolis Star. March 28, 1928. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  7. ↑ Francis, Judy (January 11, 2015). "Historical Treasure: Burl Ives' strong local connection". Tribune-Star. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  8. ↑ Pluto, Terry (November 20, 2011). "Joe Tait teams up with Bill Fitch: Excerpt from 'Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball'". cleveland.com. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). 1989. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  10. ↑ Indiana RadioWatch profile of WBUZ
  11. 1 2 Federal Communications Commission (June 25, 1998). "Initial Decision Revoking the Licences and Construction Permits of Contemporary Media, Inc. Contemporary Broadcasting, Inc. and Lake Broadcasting, Inc. Affirmed (MM Docket No. 95-154)" . Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  12. ↑ McConnell, Chris (October 16, 1995). "Conviction may cost Rice radio licenses" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. p. 22. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  13. ↑ McConnell, Chris (August 25, 1997). "FCC judge moves to pull radio licenses" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. p. 18. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  14. ↑ Toroian, Diane (July 11, 2001). "Child molester will lose broadcast license". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. B1. Retrieved June 8, 2019. (Continued on B3)
  15. ↑ Broyles, Addie (October 5, 2001). "'The Buzz' drops off airwaves". The Maneater. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
  16. ↑ "FCC Board Recommends Revoking License of N.Y. Radio Station Owner".
  17. ↑ Venta, Lance (May 14, 2014). "WIBQ Terre Haute Completes Move". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.